Check-protector.



E. ()(ZUMPAUGH.

cam momma.

APPUCATIQN FILED JAN. 2.19M. 1 153 514, Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

4 3HEETS-SHEET 1.

W 677185586 v In 0872/1107 31/ Edmund Occwzpa-uyfi E. OCUMPAUGH. CHECK PROTECTOR. APPUCATIOH mm mm. 1914.

Patezzted Nov. 23, 1915.

4 SHE 'SSHEET 3.

Alf/502 22695 r omi g a AL on EDMUND GCUMPAUGH. GE RGCHESTEE, NE'W YGRK, ASSIGNGR TO- THE DEEIEATCE llIACl-IZNE COME-ANY, O'E EGQHESTEB, NEXV YORK.

A COR-PUBATION GE NEW CHECK-PROTECTGE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgn'tefi Egg, $151.

Application filer; Januar 1 14. Serial in. 809,803

of check protector. in which desired amounts may he and by pr'nted or embossed upon the check, my invention l preferably provide special devices for cutting or tearing the fioer of the check so that erasure of the protecting characters is practically impossible.

By my invention, 1 also provide a construction in which the nuinher of working narts 1 duced to a minimum and. as a result, the tlQYlifQ is simple, dura oie and accurate.

' The several drawings ii ustrating my inveniron are as tollows i taken through the axis ol the type cylinder ant. shows the actuating devices for moving the platen or matrix into engagement with the printing; characters. Fig. a sectional view oi the parts shown in Fig. 1, taken along the line Fig. 3 is a rertical sertional riew throuf h the parts of the machine through the renter of the cylindrical platen or matrix and shows the type wheel. inl; roller and operating lever in elevation. Fig. i a top view of one form of matrix that may chine. Fig] 5 matrix shown in Fig. 4. taken alon rtho line ("k-5. Fig. (3 is an enlarged bottom View of the platen or matrix. Fig. 7 shows in a view similato F; l a motliticd form of matrix or platen. Fifi. is a plan view of themauhire assembled with the upper part of the casing and the operating lever hrol-:en away to more rlearly show the type wheel and inking roller. Fig. 5) is a detail view of devices employed to teed the ohecl; when the operating lever is released from its operated position. Fig. is a detail view of devices employed for imparting a rotary motion to the platen or matrix when it is in engagement with the character in print-- ing position. ll is a view taken from the left of the parts shown in Fig. 10. Fig.

ut ting/1n bl r 1X13.-

12 is a bottom view of the parts shown in a sectional view of the Fig. 10 with the operating lever removed. Fig. 1.3 shows a sample form of check as it would appear when protected by means of toe check protector shown in the drawings. Fig. 1% shows in detail View the construction of one of the printing characters.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3 and 8. it will be oi3- served that the casing or ha 1 of the machine has projecting upwardly therefrom a bracket 2 in which the end of the horizontal shaft 3 is rigidly secured. Upon this shaft 3, there is mounted a type wheel or *yhnder l having several. portions formed into a oonnnon integral member as Ioliows: the

type cylinder 5, consisting of any de ired characters which are he used in printing or embossing the check, a detent wheel (3 which is just inside of the type cylinder. a setting cylinder 7 separated from the type cylinder 5 a circular groove 8 engaged by the upper casing 9 which holds the type cylinder in place and presents to view only the setting cylinder 7. The remaining portion of this integral element is the setting handle or head 10. A thin washer 11 is placed uprr the shaft 3 between the type cylindeand the bracket 2 to reduce wear of the parts. immediately below the printing point of the ty ie cylinder 5, there is l ated in a. boss 12 i: 'med in the base inimediat. low the surface 13. provided to receii rhech to he protected. a "lindrical mm 1?; or platen ll. provided wit i an enlar :d f l i1.."l 3 nnm n at heart 1.) at its loner end. 12 is rounterhored at its lower end to size of the head H to receive a spring which is of sufficient strength to more platen to its retracted position substantlw flush with the upper surface 13 of the base" 1 and to also move the operating parts to their nor :1} position. Movement the platen is controlled by a lever l 11voted at 18, between omckets exten i'ng' Lin the lever 17 is connected by means of a link 20 with the shorter end of an operating bell crank lever 21, which is pivoted at 22 between the brackets 23 extending rearwardly from the bracket 2. tended upward from its bearing and curved slightly forward and terminates in a round plate 24 to be engaged by the hand of the operator, so that downward pressure may be conveniently exerted upon the lever to move the platen into engagement with the printing or embossing character that may be in printing position. .The pivot rod 22 of the lever-21 is held in position in the brackets 23 by ears or lugs 25 projecting inwardly from the upper portion 9 of the casing, so that when this portion of the casing is in place, the lever is held in proper operating position.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 8, an ink roller 26 is provided so that it is in contact-with the periphery of the type wheel 5, as a result of which rotation of the type wheel inks its characters as desired. The inking roller 26 is rotatably carried by a frame 27, pivetally mounted upon a rod 28, rigidly secured in the lower poriton of the bracket 2. The frame 27 has secured to it a flat spring 29, which rests against the inside of the wall of the upper part of the casing which is integrally formed with the bracket 2, and the inking roller 26 is thereby held in yielding engagement with the printing or embossing characters. The top wall of the removab e casing 9 which extends over the type wheel and the inking roller is provided with an inking aperture 30 covered by a swinging shield 31, pivotally held in place by a screw 32. This screw 32 extends through the removable casing 9 into the bracket 2, thereby holding the casing in place and, in turn, holding the type cylinder upon its supporting shaft and also preventing the removal of the pivot rod 22 from its supporting brackets23 and also preventing removal of the inking roller 26 from its supporting pin 28. Thus, the entire upper part of the mechanism is held together and controlled as to its assembly by the single screw 32.

The characters upon the indicating cylinder 7 are so arranged that the uppermost character indicates the nature of the rinting character which is in its lowermost or printing position, so that by successively setting the type cylinder by means of the setting head 10, so that the desired ones. of the characters upon the indicating cyl-U inder 7 appear uppermost in proper succes-.

sion, the desired amount will be printed or embossed upon the check inserted in the machine bysuccessive operations of the operating lever21. A spring 33 secured at one end to the bracket 2 is provided to engage the notches in the detent wheel 6 to hold.

the type wheel in any position to whicliit The lever 21 is ex-- may be inoved so that the lowermost character upon said wheel is always held in proper printing position relatively to the platen or matrix.

. forcible engagement with the feeding roller 34. The lever 36 is provided with an ex tension 40 to the left of the supportingipivot rod 37, as seen in Figs. 3 and 8, so that this extension may be engaged by the hand of the operator to move the rollers 35 upward away from the roller 34 to insert the check to be protected, against the adjustable guides 41 which are secured to the top of the base 1 in the manner indicated in Fig. 8.

The feeding roller 3-1 is rigidly secured to one end of the shaft 42 supported in a boss or web 43 formed integrally with the base 1. Theother end of this shaft has rigidly secured to it a ratchet wheel 44, as indicated in Fig. 9. A spring pawl 45 is provided, said pawl being rigidly secured to the boss so as to hold the ratchet wheel and driving roller 34: in any position to which they may be moved. The right-hand end of the lever 17, as seen in Fig. 1, has formedthereon a downwardly extending portion 1.7, to which the left-hand end of a spring operating pawl 46 is rigidly secured, as indicated in which serves to rotate the ratchet wheel 44 one tooth so that the spring .45 comes into engagement with the next tooth thereof. This rotation of the ratchet wheel 44 rotates the feeding rollers 34 and 35 a sufficient amount to move the check along to a position to receive character:

The ink used upon the inking roller 26. which preferably has an outer surface of felt or other absorbent material, is indelible ink which when carried into the fiber of the check is extremely difficult, ifnot' impossible, to remove: To provide for introducthe next desired protecting platen, so that the cutting edges will always occupy the shine position angularly of the base of the machine and thus register with. any indentations that may be made in the faces of the printing characters. If preferred, with this construction a keyway 14 may be provided in the plat n or matrix 14" to prevent rotation of the same.

Certain of the printing characters which it is sometimes desirable to use, as for example, the star or asterisk, have such an outline and position of printing surface that when the continuous plane printing surface of the characteris engaged by the circular cutting edges of the platen the center of the character is cut entirely out from the paper unless precaution'istaken to prevent. To, provide against this l preferably construct such printing characters as indicated in Fig. 14, in which an enlarged side view of a star is shown, in which the printing surface is composed of two portions (30 and 60" located in different planes which are substantially parallel with'each other and with the plane of the paper to be printed. This difference is not appreciable, being only snflicient so that when the printing portion 60 engages the circular cutting edges on the platen to cut the paper nearly or quite through its fibers, the cutting edges will be partially cut through the fibers engaging the portion (30 of the printing surface, thus leaving some of the fiber of the paper to hold the central part of the printing character in position. The construction referred to may be made either by making the printing character with all of its surface in the same plane and subsequently filing off a part of the printing surface a small amount, or these characters may be cast with the desired difference in printing surfaces.

In connection with the rotation of the platen by means of the devices shown in Fig. 1, when the platen is returning from its printing position, an additional result to those described above is secured, consisting in stripping the check orpaper from the platen. \Vhen the platen and printing charactors are brought forcibly together, there is a slight werlging tendency of the paper between the cutting edges, and the rotary mo tion of-the platen as it leaves the printing position serves to loosen the paper from the cutting edges, so that there is no tendency whatever to tear the check or paper by its adhering to the platen, Referring to the sample impression showing the result of the operation of the check protector shown in Fig. 13, it will be understood that since the printing surfaces of the printing characters are substantially plane surfaces and are inked directly, that. these characters are printed upon the face of the check in substantially .a solid color, since the platen presses the entire surface of the check or paper against the printing sur faces, and that the circular cuts are not apparent from the front of the check except upon close inspection. On account of the" It will be understood that I do not limit myself in connection with the present invention to any particular materials but, on the other hand, any desired materials may be employed in making the various parts that will secure the results above indicated. For; certain of the parts, as, for example, the type-wheel and the parts integrally associated' therewith, metal castings may be employed to advantage, although there is nothing to interfere with having the parts relatively hard, if desired. The base and easing may be formed 'ofcast metal or may be built up, as preferred, and it will be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact conformation of parts shown and described above as I may use any equivalent construction without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It will be understood that my invention is operative as a. check protector whether the ink is employed or not and whether the operation' is a printing or an embossing operation. sake of simplicity, I shall use the term printing in its generic sense and shall mean thereby any operation of printing or embossing which will operate upon the check to be protected to secure'the results described above. 4

Throughout the claims for the- It will be understood that I do not limit I myself to any particular characters upon the type wheel or cylinder, although usually the figures 0 to 9 inclusive with certain desired ones of said characters into printing position, a cylindrical platen disposed so that its end is adjacent to the printing character which is in the printing position, 'devices for-bringing the end of the platen and the printing character forcibly together, the

end of said platen having a plurality of concentric cutting edges formed thereon connieiei centric with the of the platen, and mechanism for mparting a rotary motion to the pi; en during each. complete printing operation,

:2. in a check protector, the combination of printing characters, means for bringing desired ones of said characters into printing position, a cylindrical platen disposed that its end is adjacent to the printing character which s in the printing position, devices for, bringing the end of the platen and the character forcibly together, he end of platen having a plurality 01 concentric cutting edges formed thereon coni the axis of the platen, and 'sin ior imparting a rotary motion ten when the platen and printing 7 are being brought forcibly toin a c-ieck protector, the combination a base, a bracket extending above the base, a printing unit rotatably mounted upon said bracket and coin i rising a printingn'heel. an indicating wheel and a sett' Y head rigidly associated together, an inning roller rotatably supported upon said bracket: in engagement with said printing type Wheel. a feeding roller supported by said brack t, an operating lever secured to said bi'i kct, a platen reciprocally movable in the se, connecting devices in the base between the platen and the operating lever for inovingjhe platen vertically when the operating lever is actuated, and a feeding roller in the base below the first-named feeding roller and operated by said operating lever;

l. in a check protector, the combination ol :1 base. a bracket extending above the base. an integral printing unit comprising a type wheel. an indicating Wheel, a setting head. and dctent wheel, a detent spring secured to said bracket and engaging said decent whet-luau inking roller rotatably supported upon said bracket in engagement with said type wheel, feeding roller supported by said bracket, an operating lever secured to said bracket, :1 platen reciprocally nioYa ble in the base, connecting devices in the base between the platen and the operating lever for moving the platen vertically when the operating lever is actuated, and a feeling roller in the base below the firstnamed feeding roller and operated by said operatinglever.

5, in a check protector, the combination of a base, a bracket extending above the base, an integral printingunit comprising a type wheel, an indicating wheel, a setting head, and a detent Wheel, a detent spring secured to said-bracket and engaging said detent Wheel, an inking roller rotatably supported upon said bracket in engagement with said type wheel, a feeding roller supported by said bracket, an operating lever secured to said bracket, a cylindrical platen mounted in the base with its czul adjacent to the under surface of the type wheel, a lever mounted in the base t'or moving the platen vertically connecting: devices between the lever in the base and the operating lever. and a feeding roller in the base roiiperating with said first named feeding roller and operated by said operating lever.

I (3. in a check pl'fittltflll-fllt combination of a base: a bracket extending above the base, an integral printing: unit comprising a type Wheel, an indicating wheel, a setting head, and a detent wheel, a detent spring secured to said bracket and engaging said letent Wheel, an inking roller rotatablv supported upon said bracket' in engagement with said type Wheel, a feeding roller supported by said bracket, an operating lever secured to said bracket, a cylindrical platen mounted in the base with its end adiacent to the under surface the type u'heel. a lever mounted in the base for moving the platen vei gainst the type Wheel, con nectincf devices between the lever the base and the operating lei-i. ind a feeding rolle 'in the base cooperating \vit said first-named feeding roller and operate by said operating lever, said platen ha plurality of cimcentric cutting edges toe en in its upper surface.

7. In a chec; protector, the combination of a base, a oracle extending above the base, an integral printing unit comprising a type wheel. an indicn ing Wheel. a setting head, and a dc'tent wheel, a detent sp to said bracket, and said: detect Wheel, an inhin roller ,rotatably supper upon said bracket in with said type Wheel a feeding roller supported by said bracket, an operating lever secured to said braclit, a lnorical platen mounted in the bzse with. its and adjacent to the under surface of the type 'wieel, a lever mounted in-t-hebase for moving the platen vertically against the type Wheel, connecting devices between the lever in the base and the operating'lever, a feeding roller in'the base cooperating "with said first-namedg feeding roller and operated by said opei ating lever, said platen having a pluralitycf concentric cutting edges formed in its upper surface, and devices carried the base and operated by the operating'lever for rotating the platen during a cutting operation.

8. In a check protector, the combination of a base, a bracket extending above the base, a printing unit rotatably mounted upon said bracket and ccinprising a printing Wheel, an indicating wheel and a setting head rigidly associated together, an inking roller rotatably supported upon said bracket in engagement with said type Wheel,

a feeding roller supportedby said bracket,

against the type Wheel,

g secured an operating lever secured to said bracket, a platen reciprocally movable in the base, connecting devices in. the base between the platen and the operating lever for moving the platen vertically when the operating lever .is actuated, a feeding roller in the base below the first-named feeding roller and operated by said operating lever, and a removable casing for inclosing the operating lever, the printing unit, and the inking roller. said removable casing when in place upon the base serving to prevent displacement of the parts contained within it.

9. In a check protector,the combination of a base, a bracket extending above the base, a printing unit rotatably mounted upon said bracket and comprising a printing wheel, an.

indicating wheel and a setting head rigidly associated together, an inking roller rotatably supported upon said bracket in engagement with said type wheel, a feeding roller supported by said bracket, an operating lever secured to said bracket, a platen reciprocally movable in the base, connectingdevices in the base between the platen and the operating lever for moving the platen vertically when the operating lever is actuated, a feeding roller in the base below the firstnamed feeding roller and operated by said operating lever, a removable casing surrounding the type wheel, the inking roller and the lower portion of the operating lever, said casing having an aperture through it over the inking roller for inking the same, a cover for said opening, and a screw extending through the cover and the casing into said bracket to hold the cover and casing in place and thereby prevent displacement of the parts supported by the bracket inside of said casing.

10. In a check protector the combination of a base, a bracket extending upwardly from said base, a stud permanently supported in horizontal position by said bracket, a printing unit comprising a type wheel and setting hand wheel secured together and rotatably supported in horizontal position. on said stud. a movable platen supported in ver; tical position in said base below said type wheel and capable of vertical reciprocation therein, lever mechanism for moving said platen upward against said type wheel, and a cap forinclosing said bracket and type Wheel, said cap when in place preventing removal of said printing unit from said bracket and when removed pern'iitting the ready removal of said unit from said bracket.

11. In a check protector the combination of a. base, a bracket extending upwardly from said base, a stud permanently supported in horizontal position by said bracket, a printing unit comprising a type wheel and setting hand wheel secured together and rotatably supported in horizontal position on said stud, a "'niifi*abl'eplaten supported in vertical position in said base below said type wheel and capable of vertical reciprocation therein, an operating lever pivoted to said bracket and projecting upward therefrom and terminating in an enlarged flat portion for engagement with the hand of the opera tor, connecting mechanism between said operating lever and the lower end of said platen, and a cap for inclosin'g said bracket and type wheel, said cap when in place preventing removal of said printing unit from said bracket and when removed permitting the ready removal of said unit from shid bracket.

12. In a check protector the combination of a base, a bracket extending upwardly from said base, a stud permanently supported in horizontal position by said bracket, a

I printing unit comprising a type wheel and setting hand wheel secured together and rotatably supported in horizontal position on said stud, a movable platen supported in vertical position in said base below said type wheel and capable of vertical reciprocation therein, lever mechanism for moving said platen upward against said type wheel, and a cap for inclosing said bracket and type wheel, said cap when in place preventing removal of said printing unit from said bracket and when removed permitting the ready removal of said unit from said bracket, said platen having circular cutting edges onitsupperend and being freely rotatable in said base on a vertical axis extending through the printing position.

13. In a check protector the combination of a base, a printing unit rotatably supported in horizontal position by said base to bring desired printing characters into print-,

ing position, a movable platen supported in vertical position in said base below said printing unit and capable of vertical reciprocation therein, and lever mechanism for moving said platen upward against said printing unit, said platen having circular cutting edges on its upper end and being rotatable in said base on a vertical axis extending through the printing position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 25 day of October, A. D., 1913,

EDMUND OCUMPAUGH. Witnesses:

C. P. Downs, IDA A. ZUNNSON. 

